Railroad base plate and fastener



June 4, 1935.

W. E.VWENN,ER

RAILROAD BASE PLATE ANDv FASTENERv Filed Sept. 27. 1932 Patented June 4, 1935v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,003,498 RAILROAD BASE PLATE AND FASTENER Wesley E. Wenner, Allentown, Pa. Application september 2v', 1932, serial No. 635,111

and fasteners, andhas for its object the production of a simple and eilcient railroad base plate which is provided with a lock for eiilciently locking the rail in engagement with the base plate, at the same time assuring accuracy and security under all conditions.

Another object of this invention is the pro duction of a simple and eflicient rail base plate and fastener which may be eiilciently and securely attached to a tie for the purpose of fixedly attaching the rail against accidental displacement.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and eiiicient fastening means for rails in the nature oi a base plate having a specially constructed wedge-shaped securing element which is so attached and supported as to permit oi an efficient and accurate adjustment for the purpose of firmly securing a rail in place.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient railroad base plate which is so constructed as to facilitate the placing of the rail in engagement with the base plate.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved railroad base plate, the rail being shown in vertical section and mounted upon the base plate;

Figure 2 is a top plan view oi' the structure shown in Figure 1, the rail being shown in 1ongi tudinal section through its web portion;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the railroad base plate looking at the end of the base plate which is provided with the wedge-shaped clamp for locking the rail in position; and v Figure 4 is a section taken on line I-I of Figure 3.

By referring to thevdrawing, it will be seen that I designates the tie which may be of any suitable or desired structure, that is to say, of wood, metal, or plastic composition without departing from the spirit of the invention. Mounted upon the tie I is the base plate 2 which, if it is so desired, and for certain types of ties may be provided with spurs or anchoring means 3 upon the bottom thereof for rmly gripping into the upper face of the tie I and facilitating the anchoring of the base plate 2 against slipping. This particular structure is adapted for use in conjunction with wooden ties and certain plastic ties such as concrete and the like, if desired, and may or may not be used in conjunction with the present invention, depending upon the particular type of tie upon which the device icl; 23a-292) is adapted to be mounted. The base plate 2 may be fastened to the tie I by means of spikes or by means' of the bolts l which bolts may beprovided with suitable lock nuts 5 and locking washers 6 for constituting an em'cient means for anchor- 6 ing and locking the base plate 2in position. The particular type of the means for anchoring the base plate upon the tie may bemodifled without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4.7the base plate 2 l0 is provided upon one side thereof with an overhanging lip 1, the base plate 2 being also provided with a downwardly curved socket 8 extending under the lip 1, for the purpose of permitting the base 9 o! the rail I0 to be inserted under the lip 15 1 whenplacing the rail I0 in position. The base plate 2 is provided at its opposite end with respect to the lip 1 with a wedge-receiving housing I I the inner edge I2 of which isadapted to snugly abut against the longitudinal edge I3 of the base 9 of .20 the rail I0. 'I'he downwardly curved socket l formed under the lip 1, as previously explained, will permit the rail I0 to be tipped sideways and allow the base 9 to extend underthe lip 1 until the longitudinal edge I3 of the base 9 Ialls into 25 snug contact with the inner wall I2 of the wedgereceiving housing II. y

The wedge-receiving housing II is preferably of a rectangular structure having a flat bottom Il and an enlarged wedge-receiving compartment 30 I5 into which the wedge block I6 is adapted to be slidably mounted. The wedgeblock I8 is provided with an upper rear inclined face I1 and a forward tapering nose I8, which forward tapering nose I8 is adapted to project beyond the inner 85 wall I2 of the housing I I and overhang the upper face of the base 9 of the rail adjacent the longI-A tudinal edge I3 thereof. The locking wedge block I6 is provided with a longitudinally extending groove I9 beyond the upper face thereof into 4o which is adapted to fit the lower end of the clamping screw 20. A binding screw v2l is carried by the housing II in the rear of the clamping screw 20, and this binding screw,2I is adapted to contact with the inclined face I1. When 44K5 screwing the rail ID in position, the screw 20 is slightly loosened and the wedge block I6 is forced into place as accurately as possible at which time the binding screw 2i is threaded downwardly through the housing I I into intimate con- 50 tact with the inclined face I1, thereby forcing the Wedge clamping block I6 inwardly within the casing II and also causing the tapering nose I8 to be forced in Wedging contact with the base S of the rail adjacent the longitudinal side edgeI Il. u

The clamping screw 20 may then be adjusted to iirmly iit within the groove I9 and assist in holding the wedge shaped block I6 in position. It will be seen that by means of this particular adjustment the block i6 will constitute a simple and eiiicient reinforcing means for holding the rail ID in position and extraordinary pressure must be brought against the rail through the wedging clamping action previously described. Suitable spring washers may be used in connection with the screws 20 and 2l to permit oi proper adjustment and the locking of these screws against removal.

A web bracing arm 22 is carried by the top of the housing I I, as shown in the drawing and this web bracing arm has its inner end 23 contacting with the web 24 of the rail I0. The arm 22 extends at an angie of approximately l degrees to the piane of the rail base. This rail bracing arm 22 is provided with a shoulder 25 which is adapted to contact with the inner face of the housing I I. The arm 22 is provided with a projecting tongue 26 which is engaged by the screw 20, as shown, for the purpose of anchoring the arm 22 in position.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a very simple and eilicient fastener has been provided which may be especially useful on curves and other locations within the length of the track where an extraordinary bracing and anchoring means is advisable and necessary. It should be understood that the device may be duplicated at spaced intervals along the length of the track and that it is not necessary, under ordinary conditions, that the rail be fastened to the tie in every instance by means of this particular type of fastener in view of the fact that only a few y may be found necessary to accomplish the desired results at specified intervals throughout the length of the track.

It should be understood that vcertain detail changes in the mechanical construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as these changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail, a housing carried by said base plate, a wedge block slidably mounted within said housing adapted to engage the base of a rail, said wedge block being provided with an upper inclined rear end, and a clamping screw carried by said housing and engaging said inclined face of said wedge block for permitting the longitudinal wedging adjustment of said wedge block within said housing for forcing the same into locking position with the base of a rail.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail, a housing carried by said base plate, a wedge block slidably mounted within said housing and provided with an upper inclined rear end, a clamping screw carried by said housing and engaging said inclined face of said wedge block for permitting the longitudinal wedging adjustment of said wedge block within said housing for forcing the same into locking position with the base of a rail, and said wedge block having an elongated tapering nose adapted to overhang the base of a rail for locking the rail against overturning or vertical movement with respect to said base plate.

3. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail and brace the rail against overturning or vertical movement with respect to said base plate, a housing carried by said base plate, a wedge block slidably mounted within said housing and provided with an upper inclined rear end, a clamping screw carried by said housing and engaging said inclined face of said wedge block for permitting the longitudinal wedging adjustment of said wedge block within said housing for forcing the same into locking position with the base of a rail, said wedge block having an elongated tapering nose adapted to overhang the base of a rail for locking the rail in position, and said wedge block having a longitudinally extending groove upon its upper face'and a clamping screw carried by said housing and engaging said groove for binding said Wedge block in position.

4. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail, means for securing the base of a rail thereto, a web bracing arm adapted to extend at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to said base plate and to contact with the web oi a rail for holding a rail against overturning movement, said arm provided with a shoulder, a ledge formed upon said base plate for receiving said shoulder, a projecting tongue tting'uponsaid base plate adapted to engage the base of a rail for holding a rail supported thereby against vertical movement, and means for locking saidv projecting tongue in position.

5. A device of the class described comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail, means for attaching a rail thereto. a housing carried by said base plate, adjustable clamping means carried by said housing for engaging the base o! a rail and adapted to hold a rail supported thereby against vertical movement. a bracing arm adapted to engage the web of a rail for holding a rail supported by the base plate against overturning movement and having a depending shoulder adapted to overhang the inner edge of said housing, a securing tongue fitting upon the top of said housing, and a clamping screw passing through said tongue and acting as a common means for anchoring said tongue and adjustable rail engaging means in position.

6. A rail supporting and clamping device comprising a base plate adapted to support a rail, means for engaging one side of the base of a rail to hold the rail against vertical movement, an Individually adjustable means carried by said base plate and adapted to engage the web of a rail upon the side opposite to the first mentioned means for bracing the rail and holding the same against overturning movement, and means individually adjustable upon said base plate for engaging the base oi a rail and located on the same side oi the rail as said brace and providing means for holding the base of the rail rmly upon said base plate and also maintaining a flrm contact between the web of the rail and said brace.

WESLEY E. WENNER. 

